Uytenbogaardtite with Gold, Quartz, Chrysocolla

specimen number:
2354140

location:
New Bullfrog Mine, Nye Co., Nevada, USA

description:
A slabbed section showing metallic gray grains of uytenbogaardtite with very tiny grains of native gold. Quartz and chrysocolla are present as well. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Eric Laskowski.

Located near Beatypost within the Bullfrog Mining District of Nye County, Nevada, the New Bullfrog Mine is situated in an epithermal precious metal deposit hosted by Tertiary volcanic rocks, primarily rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs and quartz latite dikes. Discovered in 1904 during the early Nevada gold rush, the deposit underwent multiple phases of active underground and open-pit mining through the 20th century, producing significant quantities of gold and silver from heavily oxidized quartz-calcite vein structures. Hydrothermal fluids flowing through structural fault zones deposited rare precious-metal sulfides and selenides within late-stage veins. Among these uncommon occurrences is uytenbogaardtite, an extremely rare gold silver sulfide that forms minute brownish-grey metallic grains embedded in quartz and calcite matrix. Collectors and mineralogists value the locality for its historical significance to Nevada mining heritage and as a premier type locality for micro-specimens of rare precious metal species.

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